Chapter 51
“They really froze to death?” I asked the next morning as we sat in the hotel’s café, drinking coffee while waiting for our breakfast. I had wondered why the wait staff was so over top terrified to come near us that the kitchen manager had to do it himself.
We could see the news playing on a television monitor over the bar and we were watching it as everyone in the extended area watched us.
Two men and a woman had died while we were at dinner last night, frozen solid while lying in bed. Two of them had become icicles while their partners slept unknowing inches away. Numerous occult and witch experts were opining to the anchors that it was magic at a level unknown.
The manager brought our breakfast plates to us, moving jerkily with fear. “Hey, wasn’t us. We were having beef Wellington at the Cyclone place,” I said.
“Of course, sir,” he managed to stutter before moving away. A new intent was moving our way, and I turned to find Director Benton Fox heading toward us, three dark-suited agents behind him. He approached alone when he was fifteen feet away, his bodyguards taking up places around the room.
“Director Fox,” Vesta greeted him. “Join us for breakfast?”
“No food. I have no appetite. Coffee though,” he said as he spotted our pot. I snagged a cup and saucer from the nearest empty table. Actually, all the tables were empty but ours.
“Thank you,” he said as Vesta poured him a cup. He carefully added a large amount of cream but no sugar.
“You think we had something to do with the Human First-cicles?” I asked.
“We know you are at the center of it but no, we do not think you did it. You merely triggered it by taunting the leadership of the Human First organization.”
“Warning, Director Fox. I warned them. Then they called for a hunt and now they are dead. I think a message has been sent. Will anyone heed it or will She send more?”
“She?” he asked.
“If you could see Vesta’s scalp—without hair that is—you would see a birthmark. One that looks like oversized human lips left a kiss on her head. Like a blessing.”
Vesta picked up the story.
“For all of mankind’s history, She did not pay a great deal of attention to us,” she told him.
“Sure, She helped a few over time. Taught us to use magic to help survive her cruel world. Witches. Some She changed with virus: weres and vampires. But mostly, we were not worthy of attention. Until we were.”
“When we damaged her?” he guessed.
“Our first wars came to her awareness,” Vesta said. “Our nuclear exploits warranted even more attention. So She caused my father to be born.”
“Her first Steward, who helped create Omega, educated humans, and defeated a master race of aliens,” I said. “Big shoes to fill,” I said to her.
“That’s why she gave me you and your big feet,” she shot back with a grin.
“You think that… ah… the biggest elemental of them all froze three people?”
“Goddess no,” Vesta said. “She sent an Ice elemental to do it.”
“Ice elemental?” I asked. “I was taught there were just four?”
“Ice is a subgroup of Water. Blizzard is a subgroup of Air.”
“How come the teachers don’t teach that?” I asked.
“’Cause they’re trying to get most of you yokels in line with the basics. Upperclassmen learn about additional classes of elementals.”
“See what I’m missing out on, Director Fox?”
“Could we circle back to the original topic for a moment?” he asked.
“Sure. We didn’t do it.”
“Right, but do you know if it will stop?”
I waved the question to Vesta, batting that topic into her court.
“It was a serious warning. Heeded now, I would think it will stop.”
“How certain are you?”
“If the threats stop, then pretty certain. I’m not at all certain they will stop. Dead certain what will happen if they don’t,” she said.
“Certainly, a nice answer,” I said admiringly.
“See what I put up with?” she asked Fox, but she was smirking.
“Three people died,” Fox said a little sternly.
“Just three?” I said. “We learned in school that the Cull saw billions die.”
He froze, staring at me, the unflappable spy master flapped.
“We deal with death more than most,” I said to him.
“And I get paid—or used to get paid—to deal death. Humor makes things bearable. But don’t mistake our age for a lack of understanding or determination.
I will and can kill almost anything that threatens her.
I would do it if she was just a regular girl, but she’s not, is she?
She’s the next Steward, the one in the wings, the understudy.
She gets killed by attackers and her father will kill thousands.
But Mother Earth might kill everyone. Mother Earth does not care for humans at all.
I know. I’ve met her. She is fond of Declan, but she Blessed Vesta. Think about what that means.”
He sat for a minute, looking at me and carefully not looking at her. I ate my eggs. I tried to eat some of her beans. She blocked me effortlessly, but she was smiling the whole time.
The End.